Customer hook



July 27, 1965 J. R. DEADRICK 3,197,034

CUSTOMER HOOK Filed April 14, 1964 FIG. 3.

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United States Patent Office 3,197,034 CUSTOMER HDOK James R. Deadriclr, Winston-Salem, N.C., assignor to Stewart-Warner (lorporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Virginia Filed Apr. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 359,599 4 Claims. (Ci. 211-477) This invention relates to an improved design of a customer hook, and more particularly, to a low cost multiple piece customer hook having at least one singlepiece annular hook portion supported on the upper end of a pole and held thereto by means of a single lag bolt threaded into the pole and an overlaying top piece.

Customer hooks are frequently used in commercial establishments for supporting a customers hat and coat as required. The customer hook generally includes a tall pole having secured at its upper end separate hooks onto which the hat and coat can be readily hung. As with the appearance of most commercial fixtures, the present trend is toward continuity of line coupled with contrast in surface such as presented by metals and woods having differences in both color and finish. However, even though a smooth or pleasing appearance is desired, it still remainsessential to provide a structurally sound design that can be economically fabricated.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved customer hook that is pleasing in appearance, structurally sound in design, and economical to fabricate.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved customer hook having at least one annular singlepiece hook portion supported at the upper end of an elongated pole by a lag bolt through the hook portion threaded into the pole and into a top piece positioned over the hook portion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a customer hookaccording to the preceding object in which two or more hook portions are used each separated by a spacer, and further wherein the top piece, spacer and pole are all of like external finish and dimension so as to give the appearance of a single pole and the hook portions have an annular body flush with the pole surface and are of metallic finish.

In order that these and other objects can be more fully understood, reference is herein made to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top end of a customer hook, showing a preferred embodiment of the subject invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the customer hook in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally through the longitudinal center of the customer hook of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, a customer hook is shown and includes a pole 12 supporting at its upper end spaced hook portions 14 and 16. The hook portions each have a plurality of hooks 18 and 20, for example, projecting upwardly and outwardly from the pole adapter to support the garments, as required, of the customer. Generally, the hook portion 14 has small hooks 18 for supporting the customers coat; whereas the hook portion 16 has hooks 20 projecting outwardly to a greater radial distance than the hooks 18 for supporting the customers hat. The hooks themselves can be adorned with decorative lugs or contours such as the sharp cornered tapered books 18 of the coat hook portion and the transverse end lugs 24 on the a hat hook portion 16. Preferably the hook portions 14 and 16 are diecast and are of similarly finished exteriors to blend together aesthetically. The appearance of the finished customer hook 10 is such that it appears that parting from the inventive concept disclosed herein.

the pole 12 is continuous between the hookportions 14 and 16 and even above the hat hook portions 16.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the construction of the subject customer hook in detail. The pole 12 hasan upstanding central projection 28 at its upper end of smaller cross section than the pole body and defines thereby a transverse shoulder 30. The hook portions 14 and 16 each have a respective body portion 32 and 34 whose outer periphery is generally at leastas large as the pole. The body portion 32 fits snugly'over the pole projection 28 and rests on the transverse shoulder 30. A spacer 36 similarly has its opposite ends provided with upstanding central projections 38 and 39 of smaller cross dimension to define opposed transverse shoulders 40 and 41. The spacer 36 fits between the annular hook portions to maintain them spaced apart axially of the pole by abutment thereof against the shoulders 40 and 41. A top piece 42 is adapted to adorn the upper end of the pole, being received within recess 43 until abutment with transverse shoulder 44. The spacer 36 and top piece 42 are secured together axially of the poleby a lag bolt 45 having threaded opposite ends 46 and 48 threaded into the upper end of the pole 12 and the lower end of the top piece 42 respectively.

If desired, locking means, such as knurling the inner bores of the hook portions as shown by reference numeral 50 to dig into the inserted wooden components, can be included to prevent rotation of the components relative to one another. The telescoping cooperation of the pole projection 28 and the coat hook portion 14, of the opposite central projections 38 and 39 with the body portions 32 and 34 of the coat and hat hook portions, and the top piece 42 within the annular recess 43 in the hat hook portion locks the spacer, the hook portions, and the top piece together transversely of the pole, Also, the central opening 52 of the annular spacer 36 being sized to snugly fit over the bolt 45 provides further-for the lateral stability of the various components.

It is thus noted thatthe disclosed customer hookhas separate single piece-hook portions each with a continuous outer periphery that provides continuity of lines while further providing the metal to wood contrast desired in modern furnishings. Similarly, the pole although of a multiple piece construction of the pole 12 itself, the spacer 36 and the top piece 42 has an appearance of a single pole. The finished eliect thus is a sharp woodmetal-wood contrast across the metallic hook portions and the confined wooden spacer between the wooden pole and top piece. It is possible also, if desired, to contrast the appearance of the various components even further such as by having high gloss or brushed finished hook portions.

While only a single embodiment of this invention has been disclosed it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made therein without de- Accordingly, it is desired that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims hereinafter following.

What is claimed is:

1. A customer hook, comprising the combination of a pole having at the upper end thereof an upstanding projection of smaller cross dimension, a coat hook portion supported on the upper end of the pole, said coat hook portion having an annular body defining a central opening of inner dimension at its lower end to fit snugly over the projection of the pole and having an open upper end, said coat hook portion further having a plurality of hooks projecting from the body portion at spaced angular alignments for supporting a customers coat, an annular spacer defining a central opening and positioned on the coat hook portion, said spacer having a lower exterior dimen- Patented July 27, 1965 I a sion sized similarly to the open upper end of the coat hook portion to be received snugly therein and having an upper exterior dimension of comparable size, a hat hook portion supported on the spacer, said hat hook portion having an annular body defining a central open-1 ing and having its lower end sized similar to the upper end of the spacer. to be received snugly thereon and having an open upper end, said hathook portion further having a plurality of hooks projecting from the body portion from different spaced angular alignments for supporting a'customers hat, a top piece on thehat hook portion havinggitslower end portion received within the open upper-end of the hat hook portion, a lagbolt extending through the central openings of the annular spacer and hooktportions and having threaded opposite. ends respectively threaded into the upper end of the pole and the lower end of the top-piece for securingthem together securely with the separate hook portions and spacer confined snugly therebetweemand the top piece, spacer and pole being of similar exterior dimensions at least adjacent-the hookportions to blend together in appearance as if they-were one pole.

2. A customer hook, comprising the combination of a pole having formed at the upper end thereof an up standing projection defining thereby'a transverse shoulder facing upwardly ofthe pole, a coat hook portion supported on-the upper end of the pole, said coat hook portionhaving an annular body defining a central open-- ing of inner dimension at its lower end to fitsnugly over the projection of the poleuntil abutting the shoulder thereof, said coat hook portion further-having a plurality of hooks projecting from-the body portion at spaced angular alignments for supporting a customers coat, an

onthe spacer, the spacerhaving upstanding projections formed at its opposite ends defining thereby opposed;

transverse shoulders, the end projections of the spacer being received complementary within the openings of the hook portions until the shoulders of-the spacer abut the hook portions to maintain them spaced apart, said hat hook portion having a plurality of hooks projecting from the body portion from=difierent spaced angular alignments for supporting a customers hat, a top piece supported on the hat hook portion, a lagbolt extending through the central openings ofthe annular spacer and hook portions and having opposing threaded ends threaded respectively into the pole and the top piece for securing them together snugly to confine the hook portions and spacer therebetween, and the top piece, spacer and pole being of similar material and exterior dimensions adjacent the hook portions to appear asa single pole and the hook portions being of metal finished the same.

3. A customer hook,vcomprising the combination of a pole, an annular coat hook portion supported on the upper end of the pole, said coat hook portion having a plurality of hooks projecting from the body portion for supporting a customers coat, an annular spacer positioned on the .coat hook portion,'an annular hat hook portion supported on the spacer, said hat hook portion having a plurality ofhooks projecting from the body portion for supporting a customers hat, a top piece supported on the hat hook portion, a lag bolt extending 4. A customer hook, comprising the' combination of 1 a pole, hook portions each' having an annular body portion and a plurality of hooks projecting from the respec- V tive body portion and integrally formed therewith, annular spacer means, 'said hook portions being supported on the pole and separated from one another by the spacer means, a top piece supported on the uppermost hook portion, and lag bolt'means extending through the annular hook portions and spacer means. and having op, posite respectively threaded ends threaded .into the pole and the top piece for securing the hook portions, spacer, top pieceand pole together axially of the pole.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS:

346,293- 7 7/86- Lavaggi 211-177 1,243,173 10/17 Hinckley 211-477 2,065,622 12/36 Smith 211 -177' 2,447,924 8/48 Uitale' 211 177 2,521,355 9/50 Ford 211-177 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CUSTOMER HOOK, COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A POLE HAVING AT THE UPPER END THEREOF AN UPSTANDING PROJECTION OF SMALLER CROSS DIMENSION, A COAT HOOK PORTION SUPPORTED ON THE UPPER END OF THE POLE, SAID COAT HOOK PORTION HAVING AN ANNULAR BODY DEFINING A CENTRAL OPENING OF INNER DIMENSION AT ITS LOWER END TO FIT SNUGLY OVER THE PROJECTION OF THE POLE AND HAVING AN OPEN UPPER END, SAID COAT HOOK PORTION FURTHER HAVING A PLURALITY OF HOOKS PROJECTING FROM THE BODY PORTION AT SPACED ANGULAR ALIGNMENTS FOR SUPPORTING A CUSTOMER''S COAT, AN ANNULAR SPACER DEFINING A CENTRAL OPENING AND POSITIONED ON THE COAT HOOK PORTION, SAID SPACER HAVING A LOWER EXTERIOR DIMENSION SIZED SIMILARLY TO THE OPEN UPPER END OF THE COAT HOOK PORTION TO BE RECEIVED SNUGLY THEREIN AND HAVING AN UPPER EXTERIOR DIMENSION OF COMPARABLE SIZE, A HAT HOOK PORTION SUPPORTED ON THE SPAC ER, SAID HAT HOOK PORTION HAVING AN ANNULAR BODY DEFINING A CENTRAL OPENING AND HAVING ITS LOWER END SIZED SIMILAR TO THE UPPER 